We gave my baby sister a 73rd birthday party last weekend and while talking with one of her kids, (he knows I'm a car guy) he mentioned his sister had a Mercedes that had 360 camera coverage when in reverse and a short time when put back in drive, we went to the parking lot and just as he described on the cameras , I asked if he knew the price, I was shocked, to say the least $108,000. I later talked the owner into a ride in the TWIN TURBOed with sport mode and was really impressed with the G force, after talking to her I found out that the $108,000 is for the USED ONE, said they couldn't afford the NEW. I'm 74 years old and all the houses, cars and trucks I have owned combined didn't cost as much as that USED SUV Just behind in the times I guess. Johnny
Our Nissan Murano has the same 360 view (very nice in parking lots) -- $108K not required... Especially nice after backing up the 18 foot long Cat with its "Post-it" size side view mirror on ONE SIDE. Pedestrians beware!
Yep it's pretty insane. Here at the dealership I work at (Chevy/Caddy), we had one ranch out here order 12 identical Escalades at $102,000 a piece for a total of over $1.2 million, plus we put on special order 20" BFG Mud Terrains on each one, so probably another $24,000 just in tires. They've been trading them back in at about 16,000 miles and they look like they've got 10 times that on them......rich people floor me.
I bought a New 73 VW Beetle (Type 111) Oct. 1, 1972. $2153.51, Out the Door, right off the wash rack. (Hated that car, sold it at a profit 8 months later when gas went up.) When I see the new car with 5 shocks (4 corners & the Sticker) I can't believe what people pay today, especially when I have to go appraise some of them as Totals or for Diminished Value after they've been wrecked. I think I'll continue to let the 1st buyer take the Majority of the loss, for being able to say "I owned it First", and laugh. JR
I've got a good buddy who is always buying and selling cars on the side. in about 2012 we went and looked at an 04 grand Cherokee. this thing was loaded. it had 120k and was pretty clean. my buddy got it for 4k. the guy was the original owner. he was going through the paper work and came across the window sticker. it was just over 45k new. while we were standing there the guy seemed to have an epiphany. it was occurring to him how much money he just lost. he almost got sick..
Ya, I was driving thru a small central MN town the other day, and the local Chev-Buick-Caddy dealer had a new Suburban sitting on one of those raised stands, with the words "WOW LOOK" and the price of $63,054 in soap on the windshield.. I had to chuckle, I will be back when they are 10K in about 8-10 years. Would be nice to have that kind of disposable income I guess, and I don't begrudge those who do, but there are just so many other things to do with that kind of cash. It just struck me as funny that I was supposed to get excited at 63K for a new car.. any new car.. JW
My next daily driver is gonna be 03-06 Mercedes E55 AMG. Just under 500 hp and over 500 tq. Were between $75-$85K new and now sell for $13-$19K depending on mileage. Found a one owner, woman owned, always garaged, 56K mile one with all the vehicle records for $15K but hesitated too long. There are dozens out there. Take it to Fabtech and for another $5K put down 650 hp of reliable power on pump gas. How can I build a vehicle like that for $20K? Parts are not that expensive now and you can now get a handheld to do diagnostics. Mikey
